I know a gal named Irene, who answers to Reenie, from childhood nickname. Isme is the name of the prophet Isaiah's horse. In chapter 6 he is reported as calling out, "Whoa, Isme!"Now put that together and...

Oh, btw, did you ever check out some of the names the aforementioned Bard used! Polonius or his wife named their kids Ophelia and Laertes. The queen is Getrude, and then of course, the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern twins.

Were Rosencrantz and Guildenstern twins? I have brothers who are twins. As small children their sibs called them Twin and Othertwin; Twin being the first one addressed and Othertwin being the second one addressed. Hence we were constantly changing their names. They got even. Remember that younger siblings sometimes grow up.

My maternal grandfather had a sister, Tallulah (Lulie, for short), who married and gave birth to eleven children. She and her husband, Abe, named them alphabetically, using first and middle names as follows:

I work in a government office, and to paraphrase Ferris Bueller, some of the names I see are just... they just are. Lesbia, Eville, Itchell (I thought someone missed a key until I saw the signature) and one that always cracks me up when it comes to mind: Bienvenido Bastardo ("welcome bastard" in English), which surprises since I'm told Spanish speakers, depending on where they're from, can be more formal than English. With that as a last name, I'd think the first name would be... more carefully chosen.

There is a story of a mother who named her children Eeny, Meeny, Miny, and Suzy. She didn't want no moe. If you aren't a redneck or some other daughter or son of the South, you may not understand this "joke". If that is the case, just keep on truckin'.

Somebody told me about a coworker of his named Carlos -- this is not really a name story, per se -- who said he was tired of hearing his name. "Carlos, would you help me with this?" "Carlos, where did you put that?" Finally he said, "I'm tired of always hearing 'Carlos, Carlos, Carlos.' I'm gonna change my name!"